Machine for shaping uppers over lasts



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p 927 w. T. B. ROBERTS MACHINE FOR SHAPING UPPERS OVER LASTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. '7, 192-3 r 1,641,237 p 1927- w. T. B. ROBERTS MACHINE FOR SHAPING UPPERS OVER LASTS Filed Feb. '7, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 1927,

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UNITED SHOE MAQHINERE" QORPORATIULI, 0F PEQEERSON, NEVJ PORATION O1 ."EIE'W' JERSEY.

JERSEY, A COB;-

IvIfiGHINE FOR SHAFING TIE-FEES OVER LASTS.

Application filed February 7, 1923, Serial No. 617,537, and in Great Britain March 15, 1922.

This invention relates to machines for shaping uppers over lasts, and more particularly to means for cutting or slitting the margin of the upper to facilitate the proper lasting of the shoe, as frequently the practice, for example, in lasting the toes of Me- Kay shoes. The slitting of the upper may be conveniently effected as a part of the pulling-over operation preparatory to lasting, and the invention is herein illustrated in its application to a well-known type of pulling-over machine the principal characteristic features of which are shown and described in Letters Patent No. 1,029,387, granted on June ll, 1912, upon an application of R. ll. Melleely. lt will be recognized, however, that in many of its features the invention is not limited to machines of that particular type nor to machines for performing the operation commonly known as pulling-over.

One important object of the invention is to insure uniform results in slitting the uppers of different shoes, irrespective of varying conditions such as may affect, for example, the extent of relative pulling movement of the upper gripping means and the last, and the invention accordingly provides, as one feature, a novel construction and arrangement of means for slitting the margin of the upper at a uniform distance from the edge of the shoe bottom in operating on different shoes. For the accomplishment of this and other objects, the construction here in shown comprises upper slitting means which, for slitting the upper at the end of the tee, is mounted on the sole rest to cut outwardly through the margin of the upper in automatically determined relation to the plane of the insole. in the illustrative embodiment of the invention this toe slitting means comprises a pair of slitting knives or cutters which are advanced along the plane of the shoe bottom to slit the upper in spaced locations, thereby forming a flap to lie on the bottom of the insole.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for slitting the margin of the upper in different locations, as herein shown at the sides of the forepart as well as at the toe end, and for this purpose the machine illustrated includes cutters which are mounted on the opposite side grippers and are moved toward the plane of the insole to slit the upper. Further to insure uniformity in operating on different shoes, the operating means for the side cutters is so constructed as to terminate the operative movement of these cutters at a predetermined distance from the plane of the insole irrespective of the extent of the relative pulling movement of the last and the grippers. it is a further advantageous characteristic of the construction shown that operating mechanism common to the dilfercut cutters is provided for operating them in unison.

A further feature of the invention consists in novel means for forming slits in preof the upper, and for this purpose LllG toe slitting knives of the machine shown, which are moved along the plane of the insole, are relatively inelmed 111 planes which converge toward the plane of the insole. It is also an objectto bevel tl e edges of the flap which is turned down on the bottom the insole, to facilitate the overlapping of adjacent portions of the margin of the upper, and for this purpose the toe slitting knives inthe construction shown are arranged to bulge the margin of the upper outwardly in their cutting movement so that the slits are inclined to the surface of the upper and converge toward its outer surface. For this and other purposes, the inventionfurt ier provides a novel arrangement of upper grip ping means and slitting means, comprising in the illustrative embodiment ofthe invention av toe gripper having bifurcated gripping jaws and upper slitting means which is movable between the bifurcations of the jaws.

The above and other features of theinvention, including also novel means for slittingthe upper progressively by a draw cut, a novel organization of operating and controlling mechanism for the slitting means, novel means for rendering the slitting means either operative or inoperative at will, .and various details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be more particularly described by reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims.

in the drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the head portion of a pulling-over machine in which the invention is embodied, with parts of the machine broken away to illustrate more clearly features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly in section, of a portion of the mechanism provided for op- I erating the upper slitting cutters;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 38 of Fig. 2, showing the parts on an enlarged scale and in a different position;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation, with parts in section, showing the sole rest and a portion of the toe slitting mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the toe gripper and of the end of the sole rest with its toe slitting knives;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the toe slitting knives as they appear in the operation of slitting an upper held by the toe gripper;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the toe portion of an upper illustrating the angular relation of the slits;

Fig. 9 is a section of the toe portion of the upper illustrating the manner in which the edges of the flap are beveled by the slitting operation illustrated in Fig. 7;

Fig. 10 is an end elevation of one of the side grippers with a side slitting knife mounted thereon, and

Fig 11 is aside elevation of the gripper and l e shown in Fig. 10.

It will be understood that in the wellknown type of machine illustrated a toe gripper 2 and opposite side grippers 4 are operated to grip and to pull the upper at the toe end and at opposite sides of the forepart against the resistance of a sole rest *hich receives a short rocking movement as the upper is pulled, the sole rest comprising a carrier 6 on which is mounted a bar 8 provided with an adjustable foot piece 10 for engaging the insole near the toe, and having also other foot pieces 11 cooperating with the foot 10 to determine the plane in which the forepart of the insole is presented. After pulling the upper the machine comes automatically to a stop, and when it is again started side clamp arms, one of which is shown at 12, are swung inwardly into clamping engagement with the shoe at its opposite sides by mechanism including a cam operated slide 14 (Fig. 2), and thereafter the margin of the upper is wiped inwardly and fastened by tacks through the operation of overlaying and fastening means not shown in the drawings.

For purposes of the present invention, there are slidingly mounted in the sole rest carrier 6 at opposite sides of the bar 8 a pair of upper slitting cutters or knives 16, these knives converging toward the plane of the insole (Fig. 6) and having on their ends cutting edges which are inclined to the direction of movement of the knives and terminate in points near the plane of the insole (Fig. 4), so that upon forward movement of the knives to slit the upper held by the toe gripper they are made to penetrate the upper first near the plane of the insole and then progressively to lengthen the slits by a draw-cut until the slits extend through the edge of the upper. By reason of the angular relation of the knives to the plane of the insole, they produce a flap which is widest at its marginal portion, as illustrated in Fig. 8', the slits A, A extending substantially radially of the curve of the edge of the upper.

By reference to Figs. 6 and 7 it will be seen that the toe gripper jaws 18 are re cessed or bifurcated to provide an opening through which the knives 16 are advanced to act on a free portion of the margin of the upper presented between the bifurcations of the jaws. -When the knives engage the inner surface of the upper they bulge it outwardly, as illustrated in Fig. 7, so that the slits are inclined relatively to the surface of the upper and converge toward the outer surface, the central flap thus being provided with beveled or skived edges on its outer surface which facilitates the overlapping thereon of the adjacent portions of the margin of the upper in the lasting of the toe. It is contemplated that the flap produced by the knives 16 will be fastened to the insole by a pair of tacks arranged as shown in Letters Patent No. 1,125.094, granted on Jan. 19, 1915, upon an application of Harris and Bates, although the invention is not limited in respect to the manner in which the margin of the upper is fastened.

For operating the knives 16, each knife on its upper edge is provided with rack teeth 20, and both sets of rack teeth are engaged by a horizontal pinion 22 mounted in bearings in the sole rest carier 6 and driven by a flexible shaft 24 the opposite end of which has fast thereon a beveled pinion 26 rotatable in a bearing 28 formed in a bracket 30 which is fast on the frame of the machine. The pinion 26 is driven by a gear segment 32 on the lower end of a vertical shaft 84 which is mounted to turn in a bearing in the bracket 30 and in a bearing on the frame and is acted upon by a coiled spring 36 to hold the knives 16 normally in retracted position. Fast on the shaft 34 is a gear segment 38 which is in mesh with a gear segment 40 pivotally mounted on the bracket 30 and provided with a tail 42. For turning the shaft 34 to impart operative movement to the knives 16 the tail 42 is engaged by a device which is carried by the slide 14 by movement of which Lit toward the right (Fig. 2) the side clamp arms 12 are swung inwardly toward the shoe as hereinbefore explained. This de vice comprises a pawl 44 pivoted on a bracket 46 which is fast on the slide 14, thepawl having aprojection on one side for engaging the tail 42, as shown in Fig. 2, and being held normally in such engaging position by a spring 48. If desired, the pawl 44 may be held ininoperative position by a pin 50 which is slidingly mounted in the bracket 46 and is maintained either in position to permit the pawl to engage the tail 42 or in position to hold the pawl out of engagement with the tail, as illustrated in Fig. 8, by

means of a spring plunger 52 which engages one or the other of two grooves 54 and 56 in the pin. On its outer end the pin 50 is provided with a knob 58 by which it may be moved from one position to the other.

For limiting the extent of forward move ment of the knives 16, a cam member 60 is provided which is engaged by the end of the pawl at a predetermined point in the operative movement ot the slide 14 and which acts to disconnect tl e pawl from the tail 42 and thereby to release the slitting knives for retractive moven'ient by the action of the spring 36. A tail 62 on the gear segment 38 is arranged to engage a lug 64 onthe brackctSO to limit the retractive movemeut of the knives.

The mechanism for slitting the upper at the sides of the forepart is also operated by the vertical shaft 34, the latter having fast upon its upper end a spiral gear 66 which drives a spiral gear 68 fast onfone end of a horizontal shaftTO mounted in bearingsin the upper portion of the frame of the machine. The shaft 70 has fast thereon two )ara lel arms 72- one for each'side gri 3 Jer 7 in, 7

and each arm has a ball-and-sodzet connection with a link 4 the lower end of which has a similar connection with the upper end of a rod 7 6 guided for lengthwise movement in the side gripper bar 78. ()n its lower end the rod 76 carries a pin 80 which projects through a slot in the gripper bar and is coupled on the outside of the bar to the end of a slide 82 (Figs. 10 and 11). The slide 82 is movable in a. guideway 84 on the inner face of the gripper casing 86 and on its lower end carries a cutter 88 which is formed of sheet metal bent so as to hugclosel y and be guided by the inner face of the casing 86 and by that face of the casing which is at right angles to its inner face and is nearest to the toe end of the shoe. The cutter 86 is secured to the slide 82 by a screw and slotconnection 90' operative movement of the cutter toward the plane of the insole. That portion of. the

gripper casing is extended inthe direction of the shoe bottom and has a cutting edge formed on its lower end.

It will be evident that simultaneously with the operation of the toe slitting knives 16, operative movement is imparted to the side slitting knives or cutters 88 through down ward movement imparted to the rods '76 by the arms 7 2, the extent. of movement ofthe knives 88, as well as that of the knives 16,

being determined by engagement of the pawl 44 with the cam member 60. The slits produced by the knives 88 in the margin of the upper are thus terminated invariably at the same distance from the plane of the insole in operating on different shoes irrespective of the extent of the previous upper pulling movement of the grippers and of their position relatively to the plane of the insole. It will also be understood that the slits made by the cutters 16 at the end of the toe are likewise located at the same distance from the plane of the insole or from the edge of the shoe bottom on the different shoes, irrespective of the extent of the pull of the toe gripper, since the path of movement of these cutters bears a fixed relation to the sole rest which determines the plane of the insole.

When the member 42 is tripped, as hereinbe- 1. In a machine of the class described, the

combination with upper pulling means, of upper slitting meansmovable along the plane of the shoe bottom to slit the margin of the upper, and automatic means for relatively positioning said upper slitting means and the work irrespective of the size ofthe shoe to locate the slits in the uppers of different shoes at the same distance from the edge of the shoe bottom, i

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with upper gripping means forpulling an upper over a last, of upper slitting means movable along the plane of the shoe bottom to slit the margin of the upper, and automatic means for determining independently of the upper gripping means the distance from the edge of the shoe bot tom at which the upper is slit.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination with means for pulling an upper over a last, of upper slitting means movable along the plane of the shoe bottom to slit the margin of the upper, and means for determining automatically by engagement wvith the insole of each shoe irrespective of its'si'ze the distance from the edge of the shoe "bottom at which the upper is slit.

cutter which overlaps the end face of the 4.11m machine of the class described, the

combination with {upper gripping means for pulling an upper over a last, of means for determining automatically the plane in which the insole of the shoe is presented in the upper pulling operation, and upper slitting means movable along the plane of the insole in a relation to said plane automatically determined independently of the upper gripping means.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with upper gripping means for pulling an upper over a last, of means for engaging the insole of the shoe in different spaced locations to determine the plane in which the insole is presented, and means positioned relatively to the shoe by such engagement for slitting the margin of the upper.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination with upper gripping means for pulling an upper over a last, of means for slitting the margin of the upper comprising a cutter mounted independently of said upper gripping means for movement along the plane of the shoe bottom to slit the upper from its inner surface outwardly.

7. In a machine of the class described, the combination with grippers for gripping and pulling an upper respectively at the toe end and at opposite sides of the fore-part, of upper slitting means mounted independently of said grippers for slitting the margin of the upper adjacent to the toe gripper.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a toe gripper, side grippers, and a sole rest, of upper slitting means mounted on the sole rest for slitting the margin of the upper in a predetermined relation to the plane of the shoe bot-tom. I

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination with upper gripping means, and a sole rest having spaced insole engaging feet for determining the plane in which the insole is presented, of an upper slitting cutter mounted on the sole rest for movement in a path bearing a timed relation to said feet for slitting the margin of the upper.

10. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a toe gripper, side grippers, and a sole rest, of an upper slitting cutter mounted on the sole rest for forward movement to slit the margin of the upper at the end of the toe, and means for imparting operative movement to said cutter while the upper is held by the grippers.

11. In a machine of the class described, tie combination with upper gripping means and a sole rest, of an upper slitting cutter mounted on the sole rest for movement to slit the margin of the upper from its inner surface outwardly while the upper is held by the gripping means.

12. In a machine of the class described, the combination with upper gripping means, a sole rest, and operating means for imparting to the sole rest movement heightwise of the shoe in the upper pulling operation, of an upper slitting cutter mounted on the sole rest, and mechanism including a flexible shaft connected to said cutter for operating it to slit the margin of the upper.

13. In a machine of the class described, the combination with upper pulling means and asole rest, of an upper slitting cutter mounted on the sole rest, an operating slide. a gear sector operated by said slide. and a flexible shaft connecting said gear sector to the cutter.

141. In a machine of the class described, the combination with means for pulling an upper over a last, of an upper slitting cutter, an operating slide, a pawl carried by said slide, connections to said cutter including a member arranged to be engaged and operated by said pawl, and a device for disconnecting the pawl from said member automatically at a predetermined point in the movement of the slide.

15. In a machine of the class described, the combination with upper gripping means and a sole rest, of a cutter movably mounted on the sole rest for slitting the margin of the upper, operating means for said cutter including a member arranged to be tripped at a predetermined point in the movement of the cutter, and a spring for retracting the cutter when said member is tripped.

16. In a machine of the class described, the combination with means for pulling an upper over a last, of an upper slitting cutter, an operating slide. a pawl carried by said slide, connections to said cutter including'a member arranged to be engaged and operated by said pawl, and a controlling device movable at the will of the operator into position to prevent the pawl from operating said member. I

17. In a machine of the class described, the combination with upper gripping means, of upper slitting means comprising a pair of knives mounted independently of said upper gripping means for slitting the upper in spaced locations to provide a flap to lie on the bottom of the insole, and means for operating said knives simultaneously to slit the upper.

18. In a machine of the class described, the combination with upper gripping means and a sole rest. of a pair of upper slitting knives mounted on the sole rest for move ment as a unit to slit the margin of the upper in spaced locations at the end of the toe.

19. In a machine of the class described, the combination with upper gripping means, of upper slitting means comprising a pair of knives mounted independently of said upper gripping means and arranged in planes that converge toward the plane of the insole, said knives being movable along the plane of the insole to form in the margin of the uplllll per,in each upper-slitting operation, a pair cutters movable to slit the margin of an upof slits that converge inwardly from the edge of the upper.

20. In a machine of the class described, the combination with upper pulling means and a sole rest, of a pair of upper slitting knives mounted on the sole rest for movement along the plane of the insole to slit the margin of the upper substantially simultaneously in spaced locations,said knives being inclined relatively to each other in planes that converge toward the plane of the insole.

21. In a machine of the class described, the combination with means for pullingan upper over a last, of a pair of upper slitting cutters spaced from each other and arranged relatively to the upper pulling means each to make a single slit in the margin of the upper from its inner surface outwardly in inclined relation to said margin to form a flap with beveled edges on its outer surface.

22. In a machine of the class described, the combination with upper gripping means, of upper slitting means movable to slit the margin of the upper in spaced locations from its inner surface outwardly, said upper gripping means being constructed to hold the margin of the upper insuch relation to the slitting means as to cause the margin to be bulged outwardly by the slitting means to form slits, in inclined relation to the surface of the upper.

23. A machine of the class described having, in combination, means for gripping an upper in spaced locations at the end of the toe, and upper slitting means movable to slit the margin of the upper between the locations where it is engaged'by the upper gripping means. 7

24. A machine of the class described having, in combination, means for gripping an upper in spaced locations, and a pair of upper slitting cutters movable to slit the margin of the upper from its inner surface outwardly between the locations where it is engaged by the upper gripping means.

25. A machine of the class described having, in combination, means for gripping the margin of an upper in spacedlocatio-ns while leaving a portion of theinargin free between said locations, and upper slitting cutters movable .to form a pair of slits between the locations where the upper is gripped to pro vide in said free portion of the margin a flap to lie on the bottom of the insole.

26. A machine of the class described having, incombination, ,upper slitting means movable to slit the margin of an upper from its inner surface outwardly, and means for gripping the margin of the upper atoppositesides of said slitting meanswh ile leaving free that portion of the margin which is engaged by the slitting means.

27. i machine of the class described having, in combinations, a pair of upper slitting per from its inner surface. outwardly, and upper gripping means arranged to hold the margin of the upper at opposite sides of the pair of cutters adjacent to their paths of movement while leaving the intermediate portion of the margin free to be bulged outwardly by the cutters to form slits inclined to the surface of the upper.

28. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a sole rest, of upper slitting means mounted on the sole rest for movement lengthwise of the shoe to slit the margin of the upper at the toe, and means for gripping the margin of the upper at opposite sides of the slitting means while leaving free the portion of the margin engaged by the slitting means.

29. In a machine of the class'described, a gripper having bifurcated jaws for gripping an upper in spaced locations, and upper slitting means movable to slit the margin of the upper between the bifurcations of said jaws.

30. In a machine of the class described, a toe gripper having bifurcated jaws for gripping the toe of an upper in spaced locations, and a pair of upper slitting cutters movable to'slit the margin of the upper in spaced locations between the bifurcations of said jaws.

31. In a machine of the class described, a toe gripper having bifurcated jaws for gripping the toe of an upper in spaced locations, and a pair of upper slitting cutters movable along the plane-ofthe shoe bottom to engage and bulge outwardly the portion of the margin of the upperbetween the bifurcations of said jaws and to form in the outwardly bulged portions slits inclined to the surface of said margin.

32. In a machine of the class described, a toe gripper having bifurcated jaws for grip ping the margin of an upper at the toe in spaced locations, a sole rest, and upper slitting means mounted on the sole rest for out ward movement to slit the margin of the up per between the bifurcations of said jaws.

33. In a machine of the class described,

the combination with upper gripping means,

of an upper slitting cutter mounted inde pendently of said upper gripping means for movement in one direction along the plane of the shoe bottom to slit the margin of the upper, said cutter having a cutting edge inclined to the direction of its movement for penetrating the upper first at a distance from its marginal edge and for then enlarging. the slit progressively toward the edge of the upper.

34; In a machine of the class described, thecombination withupper gripping means and a solerest, of a cutter mounted on the sole rest for outward movement to slit the margin of the upperheld by the gripping ill) ice

means, said cutter having on its end acut- 42. In amachine of the class described, ting edge inclined to the direction of its the combination with atoe gripper, opposite movement and terminating in a point for side grippers and a sole rest, of an upper penetrating the upper first near the plane of slitting cutter mounted on the sole rest for the insole and for completing the slitting slitting the margin of the upper at the end operation by a draw-cut approaching the otthe toe, and cutters mounted on the side edge of the upper. grippers t'or slitting the upper at the sides 35. In a machine of the class described, of the torepart. the combination with means for gripping 43. In a machine of the class described, and pulling an upper over a last, of upper the combination with a toe gripper, opposlitting means comprising cutters tor slitsite sidegrippers and a sole rest, ot an upting the upper respectively at the opposite per sl tt ng cutter mounted on the sole rest sides of the torepartat the rear of the toe tor slitting the upper at the tee from its end, while the upper is held by the gripping inner surface outwardly, cutters mounted on 111 51 11 the side grippers for slitting the upper from 36. In a machine of the class described, its edge inwardly, and mechanism common the combination with means for gripping to the different cutters for operating them and pulling an upper at the toe end and a in unison. the sides of the torepart, of a plurality of 44k. In machine or the class described, upper slitting cutters arranged to slit the the combination with upper pulling means, margin of the upper respectively at the toe of an upper slitting cutter movable along end and at the sides while the upper is held the plane of the shoe bottom to slit the by the gripping means. margin of the upper, automatic means for 3'7. In a machine of the class described, relatively positioning said cutter and the the combination with a toe gripper and op- Work to locate the slits in the uppers of difposite side grippers for pulling an upper ferent shoes at the same distance from the over a last, of upper slitting means com ed e of the shoe bottom, a cutter movable toi i a l lit f tt arranged to ward the plane of the shoe bottom to slit slit the margin of the upper in locations ad-. the margin of the upper in a dlfierent locajacent to the different respective grippers. tron, and automatic means tor terminating 33 I hi f th la d crib d, the movement of said last named cutter at the combination with means for gripping the same distance from the plane of the shoe and pulling an upper over a last, of a plul O t l 111 Operating on diii'erent shoes. rality of cutters for slitting the margin of a5. In a machine of the class described, the upper respectively at the toe end and at the combination with a toe gripper, opposite the sides of the forepart while the upper-is side grippers and a sole rest, of a cutter held by the gripping means, and mechanism mounted on the sole rest for slitting the upcommon to the diiferent cutters for operatper at the toe end at the same distance from ing them in time relation to one another. the edge of the shoe bottom in operating on 39. In a machine of the class described, ditl'erent shoes, cutters mounted onthe side the combination with means for pulling an grippers for slitting the upper at the sides upper over a last, of a plurality of cutters ot the forepart, and automatic means for for slittiz-ig the margin of the upper respeccontrolling said last named cutters to locate tively in ditlerent locations, one of said cuttheir slits at the same distance from the edge tors being movable to slit the upper from of the shoe bottom on the different shoes. its inner surface outwardly and another to 46. In a machine of the class described, slit it from its edge inwardly. the combination with upper pulling means,

lO. In a machine of the class described, of a plurality of cutters for slitting the the combination with means for pulling an margin of the upper respectively at the toe upper over a last, of a cutter movable along end and at the sides of the forepart, and the plane of the shoe bottom to slit the automatic controlling means for said cutmargin of the upper at the end of the toe, ters to locate the slits in the upper at the and additional cutters movable transversely same distance from the edge of the shoe botof said plane to slit the upper at the sides of ,tom on difi'erent shoes presented for treatthe torepart. ment.

41. In a. machine of the class described, e7. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a toe gripper and opthe combination with opposite side grippers posite side grippers, of upper slitting means for gripping and pulling an upper over a movable along the plane of the shoe bottom last, of upper slitting cutters mounted on to slit the upper adjacent to the toe gripper said grippers, a rock shaft, and arms on said from its inner surface outwardly, and addiroclr shaft for imparting operative movetional upper slitting means movable toward m-ents respectively to the different cutters. the plane of the shoe bottom to slit the mar 48. In a machine of the class described, gin of the upper from its edge inwardly in the combination with opposite side grippers, locations adjacent to the side grippers. of upper slitting cutters mounted on said grippers, mechanism common to said cutters for operating them including a member arranged to be tripped automatically at a predetermined point in the operative movement of the cutters, and spring means for retracting the cutters when said member is tripped.

49. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a toe gripper, side grippers and a sole rest, of an upper slitting cutter mounted on the sole rest, upper slitting cutters mounted on the side grippers, and operating mechanism common to said different cutters comprising a connection arranged to be broken automatically at a predetermined time to stop the movement of the cutters.

50. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a toe gripper, side grippers and a sole rest, of an upper slitting cutter mounted on the sole rest, upper slitting cutters mounted on the side grippers, and operating mechanism common to said difi'erent cutters comprising a slide, a pawl carried by the slide, a member engaged by the pawl for imparting operative movements to the cutters, and automatic means for dis connecting the pawl from said member at a plreldetermined point in the movement of the s it e.

51. In a machine of the class described, the combination with upper pulling means, of cutters for slitting the margin of the upper respectively at the toe end and at the sides of the forepart, operating means for said cutters, and a member movable at the will of the operator to render said operating means either operative or inoperative to impart movement to the cutters.

52. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a gripper, of an upper slitting cutter mounted on said gripper for operative movement in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of the pull of the gripper, and means on the gripper for positioning said cutter in different adjusted relations to the gripper to terminate its out at diflerent distances from the plane of the shoe bottom.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM THOMAS BUCKINGHAM ROBERTS. 

